Three main types of people encountered in attempted disruption

When it comes to disrupting organisations, I’ve found there are three main types of people:

A) Those who embrace change – regardless of personal discomfort, temporary loss of certainty, and sense of competency – who participate optimistically but can reinforce your own beliefs about what is the correct path. They give you confidence and momentum but don’t do much in the way of challenging your assumptions.

B) Those who think there’s nothing wrong with the status quo or who are diametrically opposed to your vision with no common ground. They may argue or sit on their hands, exclaiming “Don’t fix what isn’t broken” believing everything you do is compromising their well-oiled machine and should be rejected, and perhaps they’re right! You are seen as a liability and nuisance.

C) Those who recognise the need for change but don’t agree with your vision for it “Let’s do something, but not that”. They might get bogged down in details depending on how far their idea deviates from your own but they can helpfully calibrate your own sense of direction in case there’s a more optimal route or destination.

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